Bill WIlson

Looking forward to Spring. I'm retiring and March 20th is my last day.

Well it all depends on the type of project. For many scrolled projects the thickness of the material is totally subjective. You can freely make it out of any material that suits you. For others, the thickness is critical. For a 3-dimensional project that requires assembly, for example, you would need to adjust dimensions to account for different component thicknesses. Tab & slot, as mentioned above is another. Stacked ring bowls, where the rings are cut at a specific angle also have a critical relationship between the thickness and the angle of cut. All of these can be modified to use different thickness than the original pattern calls out, but that can get a little tricky and needs to be considered carefully. For plaques, word art and other types of 2-dimensional flat work, the thickness is generally totally arbitrary and a matter of personal preference.

What exactly do you mean by "particle board"? Particle board can be the stuff that is used in Ikea furniture or construction sheathing (OSB) or MDF. Of those, I would say MDF is probably the best choice, provided it is completely sealed, on all sides, with paint. MDF has the smoothest surface and is easy to cut. Just make sure to use some sort of dust collection/dust mask, because the dust from that stuff is nasty.

My old Craftsman drill press has a chuck that closes all the way. It will hold the smallest numbered drills I have. Look for a drill press that has a chuck like that and then you don't have to mess around. If you can't find one, then buy a good chuck and replace it as JT suggested.

I think the majority opinion would be to get the dead man switch or what Harbor Freight describes as the Momentary Power Switch. Some folks like the other type (power maintained) and you might as well, so it is a matter of personal preference. If I get a vote, it's for the dead man style.

Like BadBob, I don't necessarily have a go-to wood. I try to pick the material based on the project and what I have available. I normally steer away from really hard woods (such as hickory). Red oak, cherry, soft maple, sassafras, walnut, poplar are readily available around here and all scroll very well.

Another "trick" I've seen mentioned on woodworking forums, is to add marbles to a partially used can of finish, to take up the air space in the can. I've never tried that, but the innerweb claims it works. I have turned cans of oil based finishes upside down, which has worked for me. Bloxygen was mentioned above. I've also read that one can use propane, as from a standard plumbers torch, to displace most of the oxygen that is in a partially used can of finish, just before you replace the lid. I think the bottom line is to make sure the can is well sealed. That means cleaning the area around the lid and seal so that dried finish doesn't prevent the lid from sealing tightly. I've had partially used cans of finish that aren't skinned over even after several years. It can be done. All the other tricks are probably iffy at best and a waste of time & money at worst.

Don't know exactly what they are trying to sell you, but I would look at things like the thickness of the surface veneer layer and what the interior layers are made of. If the surface layers are thicker than a sheet of paper and the core is actually an alternating layer of wood and not some man-made substrate, it might be worth a try.

I'll echo the statements that square stock and an accurately folded pattern are absolutely crucial to getting good results. I also recommend starting all of your cuts from a hole drilled in waste areas, like regular fretwork. If you avoid cutting from the outside of the blank, it will be easier to hold it together. You can also use a simple, homemade clamping jig to hold your blank together as well. I think Steve Good shows how to make one on his site. Some folks wrap it in clear packing tape after cutting one side, but I don't care for messing with tape, unless I need it to prevent burning.

My process is the same, except substitute shellac for lacquer. I've never dipped in shellac, but I spray it all the time. It's my go to finish for scroll work.

I have nothing to offer or add regarding the Hegner blade holders. I've never used a Hegner and know less than nothing about them. You also asked a question about blades. That is one of the most common questions asked by beginners and there should be several threads on the topic. The general rule of thumb is the larger the number of the blade, the thicker the blade and the fewer teeth per inch, meaning it will be more aggressive. Large, aggressive blades are best suited for simple cuts in thick hardwoods. The smallest blades are the least aggressive, but offer more control and are best suited for intricate cuts and tight turns in thinner stock. There are several tooth configurations available. Reverse tooth blades are commonly used for most fretwork, as they leave least tear out on the back side of the wood. There is far more to learn about blades types and styles. Here is a link to a blade chart that is fairly comprehensive. It will give you a good overview of the specs and best uses of each type/size. RBI Hawk blade chart Also there is a page on the Flying Dutchman website that provides some more info on choosing a blade. choosing a blade These pages should tell you most of what you need to know to get started. As was mentioned, get some basic blades, such as the starter packs that were referenced and once you get a little more experience, you can do a deeper dive into experimenting to find out what really works best for you and your saw. Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

Very nice work! I love the winter scene, with the horse drawn sleigh. Where might I find that pattern?

I'll second this. I knew a master scroller who made some of these wooden gear clocks. He was also a mechanical engineer, so he had a fundamental understanding of the challenges involved. He said his biggest problem, apart from the precision required, was that the slightest change in humidity would mess up the movement and his clocks never kept good time. This can be mitigated somewhat by using plywood, but the tolerances are so tight that even using BB ply, there can be enough movement with humidity to mess things up. These are great examples of a scroller's skills and an excellent conversation piece, but if you intend for it to actually be functional & accurate clock, well, good luck.

I'm kinda with JT on this. Gotta be careful when painting something like this, because it may not blend as nicely as you want. I'd be inclined to use dye instead of paint. The dye will still allow the look of the wood to show through, so the contrast won't be quite as stark. I'd probably only do the ribbon on the wreath and leave the fireplace flame as is. Afterall, there are flames on the candles as well. If you do one, should you do all? You see the slippery slope you can end up on.

I doubt you will find anyone, who has been scrolling for any length of time, that still uses pin end blades. As ChelCass said, the pin end blades just limit you so much in what you can do. Also a lot more variety of types and sizes that are available in the plain end blades. They are definitely the way to go.

Ken, we have a scroll saw club that meets once a month, down in the Sarver area. Would probably be about an hour's drive for you, but if you are interested, let me know and I can give you details. We used to have a couple members from New Bethlehem and one from Dubois, so it's not a bad drive down Rt 28 to Rt 356.

Welcome to the village. I was born and raised in Brookville. My Mom and siblings still live in the area and I visit from time to time. I got married and moved away years ago, but not too far. I've lived in Butler since 1978.

Blade drift is pretty common with a lot of scroll saw blades. Something about the way they are manufactured that makes them that way. It isn't a universal thing. There are some brands/types that are better/worse than others. What I do if I find a blade is tracking off the line (typically it will pull to the right) is to shift my chair slightly over to the right of the saw, so that I'm actually facing the blade at an angle, but I trick my brain into thinking I'm pushing straight into the blade. It doesn't take very much. Maybe give it a try and see what it does for you.

I too have heard that organic nut & plant oils aren't recommended because of the risk of them going rancid. I still believe that mineral oil is a better option. Check the link below; https://www.cuttingboard.com/blog/what-type-of-oils-are-safe-to-use-on-your-cutting-board/?srsltid=AfmBOoqlWsKezEdLrC5FC01AFmoNWYImCDI79faOrYzYxcwNC2gxhHS2 From the above website; Olive oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil, should never be used to maintain a cutting board or butcher block. These oils experience rancidification – a process that yields a rank smell and unpleasant taste.

Mebbe. Target lists it for $2.99/16oz (figures out to about $24/gal) and I saw it listed for anywhere from $22 to $30 a gallon on Amazon. Either way a gallon is a lot. Unless you are doing cutting board mass production, a gallon will last a loooong time.

Beeswax is commonly mixed with mineral oil, which is food safe and found in the pharmacy section of your favorite super market, with the laxatives.

Hi Tom. Welcome to the forum. I also live in Western PA. What part of the region are you from? I'm president of a scroll saw club called the Blazin' Blades Scrollers of Western PA. If you are close enough and interested, we would love to have you stop in to a meeting and check us out. Our meeting place is near Sarver, PA. Let me know if you want more information.

Glad to hear the Bauer is doing well. It would be great for there to be a really decent, relatively affordable scroll saw to recommend to folks new to the hobby and not sure about dropping $600+ on something like the Dewalt.

That is a really nice way to pay tribute to and remember your Grandpa. Welcome and good luck with your new hobby. Lots of good info and helpful people here on the forum, so you are in the right place.

I mounted mine to an 8x12" piece of plywood. I have a 6" long piece of 2x4 fastened to it so my heel is raised up a bit and my foot sits pretty flat on the pedal. It sometimes slides around a little, but it's sort of captured in a narrow space between my scroll saw stand and the leg of a bench. Works fine for me.